Love at First Night
by Jennala
Summary: ALL HUMAN! Edward meets a beautiful brown eye'd girl at his birthday party. When Alice invites her to stay with them for a weekend, they fall for each other...hard. But will they overcome the obstacles that stand in their way? Set in 1918
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** **Alright now. Please, don't shoot me... I know I have started two stories, but I had MAJOR writers block on it. So I was just typing random things and this happened. So enjoy. And no flames please.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. Stephenie Meyer does.**

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1918

Edward's 18th Birthday Party

**EPOV**

The dance that was going on was intensely dull. All the females were twirling in their long, expensive dresses trying their hardest to get my attention. I wrinkled my nose in disgust as yet another girl winked at me, even though she was in the arms of another man. The slow song ended and another one started immediately after, this one perkier. I saw my mother watching me from across the room, sending me pleading glances to dance with someone before my party ended.

I watched my two siblings, Emmett and Alice, dance expertly with their spouse, clearly having a better time than I was. The upbeat song was about halfway done, when all of the sudden a maiden tripped right into my arms. I was about to tell her off, when she looked up at me. I had to hold my jaw from dropping and I instantly forgot about everyone else in the room. An honest blush overcame her beautiful, pale features as she turned her gaze down at the floor. Who was this lady? And why did fireworks go off inside of me when I had looked into her hypnotizing, chocolate eyes? Surely, I have seen her before. For I knew everyone in this town…

I hadn't even realized I was twirling her to the last beats of the song, wanting to keep her in my arms as long as possible. As the last note settled, she quickly released my hands, which left them strangely cold and deserted. How absurd was I to feel this way about one person? A person I didn't even know…

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Cullen." Her voice startled me. It was so meek and genuine. Not like the other women here who only wanted my money and my children.

"No, no. That's quite all right, Miss...?" She was about to answer when she broke my gaze and looked behind me, her eyes growing wide. "Are you alright?" She had grown paler than she already was. I turned around to see what was distressing her, but saw no one that could be of harm. Only lovesick girls and a few jealous men. The final song started to play and I spun around to offer my arm in a dance, but she was gone. I hurried to the front of the house and out the door, but she was nowhere in sight.

Who was that girl?

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**BPOV**

I hurried out the door and slipped around the corner of the mansion, sinking into the darkness. I held my breath as he stood on the porch, searching for me. The front door opened then closed, as he retreated back inside.

I slid down the wall and sunk into the wet grass. I heard the door open and slam closed once again, already knowing who it would be. I waited for her to approach me so I could get my punishment. Get what I deserved.

"Isabella Swan?" I heard her hiss as she searched for me. Maybe if I just inch away slowly now, she won't find me…

No such luck.

"What are you doing on the ground? Get up you dirty, pitiful excuse of a girl." I stumbled up, but slipped as I stepped on my own dress. She grabbed my arm impatiently and yanked me up. She didn't release my arm, but only tightened her grip on it.

"Jessica, please…you're hurting me…" I tried to pry her off my arm as her fingernails dug deeper and deeper. I started to small the horrid, rusty smell of blood.

"If you ever so much as even look at Edward Cullen again, you will be tossed to the whore house. Do you hear me? The only reason you live with us is because your stupid father guilted my mother into keeping you before he died." She finally released her hand and wiped it on her dress as if I was a piece of dirt. "Edward Cullen and I belong together and I will not let anyone, especially _you_, stand in my way." The venom dripped from her words. I squeezed my eyes shut and prepared for a blow that was sure to follow, but when nothing happened, I curiously opened one eye to see Jessica's face entirely in shock. The dim light from the lamppost created ghostly shadows on her face.

"Mrs. Whitlock…what a surprise…" I gazed over to the person Jessica was looking at. She was standing directly in the line of light, with her hands on her hips. But despite her extremely small height, she looked absolutely terrifying. That's when I realized who _she_ was. Alice Cullen…Edward Cullen's sister who just currently wed Jasper Whitlock. A handsome man from the south.

"What's going on here?" Alice never broke eye contact with Jessica, but Jessica fumbled. She kept ruffling her dress and pulling at her sleeves. She cleared her throat and tried to gain composure.

"Well, you see here… I found poor Isabella out here all alone. She had… _tripped_ and hurt her arm in the fall." Jessica flashed a smirk in my direction and grabbed my hand, pulling me forward. "Now, if you don't mind. My mother must be so bothered that we are not home yet, considering Mr. Cullen's party ended a while ago…"

As Jessica started to drag me past the beautiful, pixie-like female, Alice intervened. "Actually, Miss Stanley, the reason I came out here was to see if... Isabella wanted to spend the weekend with me. I would really enjoy her company and the chance to get to know about her. Plus, I think my brother would like to get to know you better as well." She winked and I immediately blushed. Jessica's fingernails dug deeper and deeper into my palm, until I winced in pain. Alice, noticing, pulled me toward her and out of Jessica's grasp. "I think you need to take your leave now, Miss Stanley. A carriage should be waiting for you. Goodnight." She smiled and pulled me, a little less roughly, to the front door and inside the warm, toasty estate. For such a small person, Mrs. Whitlock sure was strong.

"Well, that was interesting." Alice giggled. "So, I know your name is Isabella, but what is your last name and why on earth are you living with Miss Stanley?" She led me quickly up an elegant stairwell, with a red carpet and a beautiful gold pattern. The gold walls ran through almost the entire home, until we got to what I presume was the 'guest room', which looked bigger than Jessica's entire house. She sat me down on the edge of the bed and went rummaging through the closet. "Cat got your tongue?" She giggled, but with actual concern in her eyes.

"Um. My…uh last name is Swan." I couldn't stop ogling at the gorgeous curtains that matched perfectly with the bed spread. This room even had a balcony! What kind of _guest_ room is this…?

"And…" She prompted, obviously thinking I had some sort of mental illness or something.

"Well, my mother died during child birth. So it was just my father and I, until a year ago." I picked at a loose string on my dress. I had never opened up with someone before and here I was, telling an entire stranger everything. "He suffered from a heart attack. I was the one that found him." I looked up at Alice who had stopped whatever she was doing. I had expected to see pity in her eyes, but instead I saw sympathy. "Well, my father and Jessica Stanley's mother were friends, and in his will… he said I would live with her if something happened to him. She didn't like it, I could tell. But I also think she didn't expect him to just…up and die like he did. So now she's stuck with me, the biggest burden of her life…" I trailed off, staring into nothing. Alice bounced over to me, and sat down taking my hand.

"You are not a burden Isabella…"

"Bella." I corrected her. She paused and at first I thought I had offended her. I had no clue on how to act around…wealthy people. But then she smiled.

"You deserve so much better than how they treat you, _Bella_. I saw the way she acted toward you. I saw the whole thing. And I know she will go home to her mother and complain and lie and start rumors, but remember Bella, you are so much better than that. And I know I just met you, but I am here for you." She pulled me into a hug and then got into a really hyper state. "Now, I know the cutest outfit for you! It would fit perfectly and the blue would just look lovely on your skin!" She threw some garments at me and ushered me into the bathroom. "Now shower up and get a goodnight's rest! And don't worry about anything. If you need anything at all, Jasper and my room is the second door down! Don't hesitate to ask about anything. Also, don't worry about intruding because you aren't. My family is used to me bring home random friends to visit. Now, goodnight Bella!" I heard her singsong voice fade away. How on earth can someone talk so fast and coherently at the same time?

I took a refreshing shower, and put my dress on a hanger in the closet. It looked so dull in comparison to the other gowns that were in the closet. I still felt bad for intruding, even though Alice already told me it was fine but… I hardly even knew this family. I know Dr. Carlisle Cullen was a very trusted and talented doctor and I've heard nothing bad about his wife, Esme, or the rest of the family in fact, but I still felt like…once again, a burden. I used one of my hair pins and put my hair up in a messy bun. My stomach growled and that's when I realized I hadn't eaten since before I left for the party. I debated on going to Alice's room, but I didn't want to wait too long in case she went to sleep or she was doing something with Jasper…

I shuddered from the image that had popped into my head and decided to ask Alice if I could get a little snack. I would never get a good rest if my stomach kept waking me up. I cracked open my door, and peeked my head out. I didn't want anyone to see me in the blue satin nightgown Alice had given me. How embarrassing if I ran into Dr. Cullen or the gorgeous Edward! I exited my room, and then stopped. Alice had never told me if her room was two doors down to the right or to the left! I started to panic. Looking down both directions, I decided to go with my instinct. Left.

I walked carefully down the hall and stopped at the closed door. I listened against the wood, but I heard nothing. "Alice?" I bit my lip and tapped on the door. I was completely surprised by the glorious, deep emerald eyes that bore into mine when the door had flung open. "I…" His eyes were wide and I started to hyperventilate. So I ran.

I basically dived back into my room and slammed the door. That had to wake the entire house. What a terrible house guest I am! I heard a rough knocking on the door and two voices. I couldn't make out what they were saying. But then I heard a velvet voice seep through the wood of the door that halted my breathing completely.

"Isabella? Are you alright? My sister, Alice, says you are an honored guest at our house and I would very much like you meet you." I blushed furiously; as I slowly creaked open the door. He was smiling crookedly and Alice, standing behind him in a red nightgown, was trying to contain her giggles.

"I'm sorry…" But before I could say anything more, he swept my hand up and gave it a gentle kiss.

"Don't be, Isabella. Or shall I call you Bella as Alice says you prefer…"

"Bella is fine." My voice squeaked, embarrassing me. Edward chuckled, releasing my hand.

"Well, it is indeed nice to meet you, Bella. But I believe this isn't the first time we have seen each other. If I remember correctly, you and I shared a dance…" I blushed and looked at my feet.

He leaned in, so close I could feel his breath on my face. I was tempted to inhale in his wonderful scent, but somehow I restrained myself. At first I thought he was going to kiss me, which terrified yet excited me. He was almost a complete stranger, yet he was just so… indescribable.

"And what a dance that was…" His voice cut through my thoughts and when I thought I couldn't blush anymore…

"Okay, okay you guys. Bella needs to get some sleep, so Edward… quit getting her all hyped up and let her get to bed." Alice grinned, looking between Edward and me. I immediately took one step backward, away from Edward's tall, muscled form.

"Actually, Alice. The reason I came out here was…" And then my stomach answered for me. Edward chuckled. I was going to die of embarrassment before I even got a snack!

"Here Bella, I'm quite hungry too. Let's go down and have a chef mix us up a quick meal. That way we can get to know each other better." He sent me a wink and grabbed my hand, sending an electric shock through my palm. How inappropriate is this? I wondered to myself as I walked, well more like tripped, down the staircase. But for once, I had no care in the world what other people thought. For once, I wanted to do something because I wanted to do it. And right now, all I wanted to do was get to know this gorgeous boy.

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**Ta-da!**

**Chapter 1.**

**Please review. It encourages me!**

**Once again, no flames please.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks to all my reviews! Wow. They all made me so happy, seriously. I wasn't expecting it at all. They really made my** **day.**

**Disclaimer- I don't own Twilight, nor will I ever.**

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**Chapter 2**

Edward led me into a spacious kitchen, and motioned for me to sit at the round, wooden table. "Wait here." He went over and turned on a light, filling up the entire room. I guess I could say I wasn't surprised. Only the really wealthy families had the luxury of good electricity in their homes.

I gazed around the kitchen, picking up every detail. The tile floor, the elegant wall paper, the small refrigerator that sat in a corner, humming. Edward came back in the room and sat in the chair across from me, holding two tall glasses of iced water and a large plate filled with pastries. I almost drooled just looking at it.

"So Bella, tell me about yourself…" He gazed at me, his eyes smoldering. I bit my lip and looked down at my intertwined hands in my lap. Would he still be interested in me when he found out I was just some commoner? When he found out I was basically an orphan? I made the mistake of looking back up. His face held true curiosity. I took a deep breath and told him my story. I told him about my mother, my childhood, all the way up to my current state with Jessica. His expression changed throughout my story from genuine sympathy, sorrow, and then for some reason anger.

"Oh Bella, why on earth do you let them treat you like that?!"

"What am I to do? Run away? She is my only shelter, Edward. As much as I hate to say it…I need them." He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. I hadn't realized I hadn't been eating pastry after pastry taking about half the plate. I blushed and took a sip of water. What a pig I was! He probably thinks I haven't eaten in days.

When he chuckled, I glanced up only to see him gazing at me. He reached across the table and put his hand on my cheek. I couldn't breathe.

"You have a little jelly on your face." He rubbed his thumb on the corner of my mouth before pulling his hand away. Edward laughed again as I felt the heat rise to my face. I didn't dare touch another croissant, for fear of humiliating myself again.

"So Edward, now it's your turn." He raised an eyebrow at me, as I looked at him expectantly.

"What do you want to know?" He grinned mischievously and leaned forward, trying to dazzle me. I bit my lip, but held his stare.

"What do I want to know? I want to know _everything._" I leaned back in my chair and folded my arms.

"Do you? Well, let's see. When I was a little boy…" And then he told me everything. I was actually quite shocked as I hung onto his every word. His life was so interesting compared to mine. He had hobbies and talents, something I lacked. I was also surprised, pleasantly I must say, that he divulged everything to me. He told me how he loved to play the piano and write his own music. He said he wanted to play his music for everyone around the world, but his father wanted him to follow in his footsteps and become a doctor. He told me of all the places he had traveled and what he thought of his sibling's spouses. I realized I was gaping at him when he had finished speaking

"Speechless are you, Miss Swan?" I immediately cleared my throat.

"Actually, yes. You have had such an interesting life. Such wonderful talents and you have already had so many adventures…and you haven't even lived half your life yet!" He grinned and looked at a wooden clock on the wall. It was nearing one in the morning. Where had the time gone?!

"I believe we should both be getting some rest. I want to show you something after breakfast tomorrow, and I don't want you half asleep when I do." He picked up the dish and the empty glasses and placed them in the sink. He led me back upstairs, his hand barely touching the small of my back, yet I still felt as if an electric current had run through my entire spine. I didn't want to leave him as we stopped outside my bedroom door. I wanted to keep talking and learn more about him. But more than anything, I wanted to touch him again. I wanted to hold his hand and never let go. I had never felt this way before. And to think, feeling this way with someone I just met! Some absolutely gorgeous and polite person I just met…

"Goodnight, Bella. I hope you have sweet dreams." He once again scooped my hand up and placed a gentle kiss on it. My hand tingled and goose bumps ran up my arm.

"Goodnight, Edward." My voice was quiet, barely audible even to myself as I watched him walk down the hall. Before turning into his bedroom, he glanced at me and flashed a crooked smile. I swear my heart stopped beating. I walked into my room and closed the door quietly. It took all my strength to restrain from squealing like a little girl. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I feel into a dreamland. A dream starring Edward Cullen.

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The sun seeped through the window, waking me up gracefully. I stretched my arms over my head and let out a yawn. That's when I remembered last night's events.

"Oh!" I shot up so fast, that my head hurt.

"Bella!!!" I heard a beautiful voice call out before my door swung open revealing a very happy looking Alice. "My parents can't wait to meet you. I've told them all about you already and they're all so excited!" I bet they weren't as excited as Alice was. I don't think anyone could be. "Breakfast is starting in about thirty minutes, so we need to hurry and get you dressed!"

"What…" Before I knew it, she had pulled me out of bed and into the closet. She twisted and pulled and yanked, before she was finally satisfied. She tugged me into the bathroom where she pulled my hair up into a fancy bun. She had put me in a dark blue and white gown, simple but beautiful. I admired myself in the mirror, not recognizing the person staring back. The girl I normally saw had never worn a day gown like this before. She had never even considered that she would ever have the chance too.

"Am I amazing or what?" Alice giggled, standing next to me in the mirror. She was also wearing a magnificent dress, except hers was yellow.

"Yes, you are." I was still stunned. I turned and looked at the back of the dress. Alice laughed once again and grabbed my hand.

"Let's go! Breakfast awaits…" She ran ahead of me downstairs and basically flew into Jasper's arms. He kissed her forehead, before nodding at me.

"Hello there, Isabella. Alice has told me so much about you." He had one hand wrapped around Alice's waist, as he held his other hand out to me. I shook it, a slow blush creeping to my face.

"It's nice to meet you, and you can call me Bella." He had beautiful, blue eyes that would make any girl swoon, but I was actually more into the color green right now…

I heard some loud footsteps approaching me, but before I could even turn around, someone swept me up into a big bear hug. And this person was a giant!

"Hello Bella!" I heard his deep voice booming. I gasped as my feet lifted off the floor. I had never experienced such wild behavior…I actually kind of liked the carefree attitude.

"Emmett, put her down! I don't think she can breathe." I heard a laugh as I was set back on the ground. I looked up at the burly man who was grinning like a madman. He towered over me by a good foot and a half and yet I felt no fear toward him. He was like a massive teddy bear.

"Bella, this is Emmett. My immature, older brother." Edward came to stand by me, as he glared at him. Emmett grinned sheepishly. "And this is Rosalie, his wife." I had heard many things about Rosalie. I heard that she was one of the most beautiful ladies in all of the country. And I think they were right. Her long blonde hair hung freely to her waist, and her gown fit her in all of the right places. Just looking at her took a huge hit at my self-esteem.

"It's nice to meet you…" I held out my hand, trying to be polite, but she just stared at it.

"Sure." Even in a sarcastic tone, her voice was perfect. I dropped my arm loosely at my side and watched as Edward glared at her.

"Don't mind her. She's really moody in the morning…" He whispered in my ear. I shuddered.

"I heard that!" Rosalie stormed off, toward the dining room. Emmett, following at her heels, smiled apologetically at me.

That's when the most well-known and highly respected in town adults walked in. Carlisle and Esme Cullen. Esme walked up to me without any hesitation and swept me up in a gentle hug. I was shocked and embarrassed at all the attention I was receiving, but something seemed to click with this family. Aside from Rosalie, I wasn't used to all the friendliness and the acceptance that came from these people.

"It's so nice to meet you, Bella dear." I was glad I didn't have to correct her with my name.

"It's very nice too meet you too, Mrs. Cullen."

"Oh please, call me Esme. You'll make me feel old." She laughed, and I couldn't help but notice the difference between her and Mrs. Stanley. One was so polite and courtesy while the other was stuck up and almost fake-like. Why oh why couldn't Esme have been my mother…

Dr. Cullen then walked up to his wife and wrapped an arm around her waist like I had seen Jasper do with Alice. I was instantly nervous. Wasn't his opinion the one that mattered the most? I refrained from biting my lip.

"It's very nice for you to join us, Bella. I'm glad Alice has found at least one nice friend." With that, Alice pouted. I swear I heard her mumble, 'I have nice friends…' as she and Jasper walked into the room Rosalie and Emmett had disappeared in.

I blushed as I thanked him and shook his hand.

"Enough of the introductions, I'm starving!" Edward caught my eye and winked. I flushed once again, as I followed the rest of the family into the dining hall. It was incredible, just like the rest of the house.

I sat in a wooden chair in-between Alice and Edward. I had hoped that Dr. Cullen's comment hadn't made Alice angry at me, but when she started to chatter away about all the stores she wanted to take me too, I knew that everything was fine. I tried to answer all the questions directed at me through the course of breakfast, but with Edward sitting so close to me and with the occasional brush of his hand on my knee, it was hard to focus.

About an hour later, breakfast was over and I was stuffed. Never in my life, had I had such a big breakfast. I could now understand why some people wanted to be rich so badly. As people started going their separate ways, I saw Alice send a wink at me. What was that about?

"So Bella…" I turned around and saw Edward smiling his crooked smile. "Like I said last night, I have something I want to show you…"

My heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest.

"Oh, really?" I spoke, curious. His eyes were excited yet cautious all the same.

"Yes really, now follow me."

He led us outside and down a dirt path, where he stopped. "Now we are getting really, really close. So close your eyes…" He held my hand and led me slowly. I could feel grass and flowers scratching at my ankles.

"Open your eyes, Bella." Edward's smooth voice whispered in my ear. I opened my eyes and gasped. I couldn't believe what I saw.

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**Thanks for reading!**

**Now, I wonder what Edward showed Bella...only I know. haha. But don't worry, you'll know too...as soon as I update. lol.**

**No flames please. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"My father had this built and tended to every year just for my mother. He comes out at least once a week to make sure everything looks perfect and no flower is out of place, just in case my mother decides to come out here and relax." Edward chuckled, as I admired the sight before me.

There was a large patch of lush, green grass that looked as if it had just been trimmed. There was a patch of yellow and pink flowers here and a bundle of blue and orange flowers there. It was almost as if I had stepped into some marvelous fairytale. A bird feeder hung from a large tree, with thick, long branches casting shadows every which way. The peace that filled the crisp air was refreshing. I walked over and brushed a couple of leaves off the small, stone bench under the tree and sighed in content. Edward joined me, his smile never leaving his eyes.

"What do you think?" He whispered, close to my face. My eyes continued to wander around the garden until they landed on a man-made pond, with a frog sitting on a lily pad. The sight was so surreal. "Bella?" Edward snapped me out of my daze. I realized my mouth had been ajar, so I quickly snapped it shut.

"Yes?" I forced myself to look at Edward. His eyes were absolutely gleaming as they shone with the sun.

"I said, what do you think?" His smile, if even possible, grew wider.

"It's…amazing." I murmured. Here I was, sitting in an gorgeous garden on a wonderful day with the most handsome man I have ever met. So I think the word _amazing_ would be a bit of an understatement.

"Like my mother, I sometimes enjoy to come here to think or to just get away from it all." He looked around the garden and I could almost feel the joy radiating from him. We fell into a long, comfortable silence enjoying the bird's singing, the frog's croaking, and the cool breeze. "Bella, I want to tell you something…" He was twiddling his thumbs and looking at his feet.

"Yes?" I bit my lip as I waited for him anxiously to go on. What could he want to tell me that would make him so nervous?

"I…" But all too soon, we were interrupted.

"Bella!!!" I heard Alice running on the dirt path toward us before I could see her. The mood was immediately broken. I sighed and stood up, stretching my legs as Alice came bounding toward me. "I have been looking everywhere for you!" Her face was pink and she was out of breath. She nervously looked between Edward and I.

"Alice, what's wrong?" Concern masked Edward's perfect features. She bit her lip and met my eyes.

"Bella, it's Mrs. Stanley and Jessica. They're here and they _insist_ that you come home with them right now."

* * *

Before I knew it, Alice had dragged me in the house all the way to the living room. The two people I least wanted to see, were sitting on the couch across from Dr. Cullen and Esme. I could hear the stress in Mrs. Stanley's voice as she politely tried to make conversation.

"You see, I had no knowledge of where Isabella was, until Jessica had told me the story. Ripping my daughters dress and then demanding a room in your household is absolutely unacceptable behavior and I assure you, Mr. and Mrs. Cullen, this will _never_ happen again." Mrs. Stanley stood up as soon as she noticed my presence. Esme looked appalled at what Mrs. Stanley had said and was about to argue when I spoke.

"Thank you for your hospitality, I greatly appreciate it." I covered my fear with a small smile as I prepared for the wrath that was sure to come as soon as I was alone.

"It was no problem, Bella. Please, come back anytime…" Esme pulled me into a tight hug. Over her shoulder, I could see Jessica seeping with anger and jealously.

"Thank you." I whispered meekly, again. As soon as she released me, another hand grabbed me. This one not so gentle.

"It's best we take our leave now. Take care!" Mrs. Stanley basically yelled as she pulled me out the front door, Jessica following behind her.

I strained my head to look behind me, when in the front door, I saw Edward staring sadly at me. Alice was standing closely next to him, looking at her feet. 'Goodbye', I mouthed to Edward, who sent me a small wave before I was pushed up into the carriage that was waiting.

* * *

After a lot of yelling and inappropriate language that a lady should never utter, I was sent to my small room. I only suffered a couple of blows this time. The reason behind them this time was because I was making both of them 'look bad'. I rested my forehead against the cold wood of my door and breathed in deeply. I wasn't ready to turn around and face my small bed barely big enough for me, and a small, dirty carpet that covered the nasty crack in the floor board from when Jessica knocked over my nightstand then later claiming I pushed her. Time to get back to reality, Bella. Alice, Edward and the rest of the Cullen's were just being good people. They probably wanted nothing more to do with me as soon as I stepped out the front door.

I spoke too soon.

Finally turning around, I gasped. On the foot of my bed was a large duffel bag, that took up about half of my bed! I hurriedly unzipped it, struggling with the zipper a couple times before I got it open. A cream-colored envelope, with my name written across it, greeted me. I opened it up gently, not wanting to obtain another painful paper cut, and read the note.

_Dear Bella Swan,_

_I am sure you already know, but tomorrow is the nineteenth of April, also known as the Night Festival. I know this is such late notice, but I would like to invite you to attend this with me. If you wish to accept this invitation, please meet me by the festival entrance at twilight._

_I hope to see you soon._

_Sincerely,_

_Edward Cullen_

My heart was pumping loudly and my palms were sweaty. I reread the letter three times before I realized that it was, in fact, real. I could hardly contain the squeal that had built up in my throat. But as soon as my excitement started, it stopped.

What about Jessica and her mother? How would I sneak out? And what would I wear…

That's when I remember the bag. I folded the note carefully and set it next to the bag. Holding my breath, I carefully pulled the long dress out. It was pale blue with a white lace trimming it. The air I had been holding in came out in a whoosh. I held it up to me and looked down. It was a perfect fit. When I turned to look at my reflection in the old mirror hanging on my wall, I made my decision. I was going to the festival, whether Jessica or Mrs. Stanley liked it or not. They were not to going to take this away from me.

I reopened and looked at Edward's elegant script on the note he had written me and involuntarily felt another smile creep up on my face. Tomorrow, at twilight, I was going to have the best time of my life.

* * *

The next night, I slipped on the dress and tried my best to fix my hair. Jessica and Mrs. Stanley had so conveniently left this morning to visit a very close family friend who was having a child. I ran barefoot through the hall, holding my heels in my hand. As I passed an old family portrait of the Stanley's, I couldn't help but feel emotional. Mr. Stanley had gone off to fight in World War 1 about two years ago, and they had not heard from him since. I glanced out the window and saw the sun about to set. I ran out the front door and was prepared to run the whole way there, when I saw the same carriage the Cullen's had sent me home in the night before.

"Good evening, Miss Swan." The driver tipped his hat. I nodded back at him and excitedly got inside and put my shoes on.

The ride was bumpy and it hurried along the road, trying to make it before twilight. The driver must have had special instructions, for he slowed down as we neared the festival so he arrived at the entrance right at twilight.

I was surprised yet grateful, when the driver reached his hand in the carriage to help me down.

"Thank you, kind sir…" I started, but when I looked up at the man holding my hand, I realized that it wasn't the driver who had helped me, but Edward.

His beautiful crooked smile appeared, taking my breath away. "Why, you're welcome fair lady." I blushed and quickly released his hand. Once I lost the contact, my hand felt strange and empty.

"Bella, I'm very glad you came. I didn't get to say goodbye to you properly the other night and I wanted to make it up to you." He winked, sending my heart soaring. I'm almost positive that he heard it.

"Well, you won't have the chance to if we just stand here." Now it was my turn to smirk, but his smile didn't falter.

"You are absolutely right. So, shall we?" He eyes sparkled.

"We shall." We walked side by side into the Festival of Night.

* * *

**A/N: Next chapter will have some drama rama! Be prepared…lol.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The sun was setting as we walked down the crowded path, admiring all the work put into the loud festival. There was a large tree that people were dancing around with colorful ribbons, a large fire burning even though it wasn't dark out quite yet and a large buffet that held every food imaginable. We ended up sitting with Alice and Jasper at a wooden table, all watching the sunset together. Alice and Jasper eventually left to go on the small boat ride about to take place, leaving Edward and I alone.

"Edward? I need to use the the lady's room." I asked, having a sudden urge after all that tea I drank.

"I'll be right here, waiting." He smiled, and I quickly ran off. The bathroom, tucked all by itself near the back, was hardly a room at all. The plumping wasn't all that decent and it looked as if the sink was about to break, but somehow I managed. It had grown even darker, it seemed, as I walked out of the bathroom. The festival lights were burning and the bugs seemed to hover everywhere you walked.

I headed back in the direction of the table, when someone grabbed my arm and pulled my roughly behind a deserted stand. He pressed me up against the wall, his hot breath against my face. I could feel a loose screw threatening to pierce my back.

"What…?" I started angrily, but a hand stopped me.

"Don't speak." His voice was harsh and his eyes were flashing. He towered over me and his muscles were nothing to challenge. Sure, he wasn't as strong as Emmett, but compared to me…he was a bear. He didn't release his hand on my mouth so I started banging roughly on the wood behind me. He pulled me forward then shoved me back, knocking the wind out of me. I gasped for air and terror filled me. "Don't make this harder than it has to be." His words dripped from his mouth as if it was poison. He was quiet for a minute, before quickly looking around to make sure no one had heard anything. And unless there was someone that blended in perfectly with the darkness, there was no one.

But surely Edward would have come looking for me by now. How I hope he does. No girl takes ten minutes to use the restroom! I hope he doesn't come alone. This man could easily overpower him! I started to fear for Edward's safety then. Please, oh please don't let him hurt Edward…

"You are a very beautiful girl, Isabella." My eyes grew wide. How did he know my name? He grinned wickedly, as the color drained from my face. "And you could do so much with your… _shape."_ I wanted to throw up. He ran his sweaty hand down my arm slowly, then back up. Finally, he rested his hand on my neck. My eyes grew watery as I tried to shrug his grasp off. "Now, now Isabella." He warned. I could feel his other hand tightly hold my other wrist. He pressed his body up to mine once more and whispered in my ear. "I have been watching you. And I know for a fact, that tonight you will be going home alone. So why not come with me, tonight. No one will miss you. And I promise to take good care of you." His hand on my neck tightened, cutting off my air supply. I gasped in alarm and tried to pull his hand off. I could feel myself getting light headed and dizzy before he tardily let go.

I feel to the ground, holding my neck. My breath came in ragged gasps as I tried to fill my lungs. He kneeled down in front of me and I tried to crawl away. He lazily grabbed my ankle and pulled me back to him, ripping my dress on a jagged rock.

"Please…" I whimpered.

"Please what? Help you get this dirty dress off?" He slowly grabbed the fabric and started to pull. I wiggled and tried to squirm away. The dress was tearing, becoming very revealing. His hands were rubbing up against me. Panic got a hold of me and then, I screamed. I used all of the air I had and yelled. He fell back in surprise by my action.

And then he got furious. "You stupid, little girl!" He pulled back his hand and slapped me hard against my face. Again and again. But I kept screaming until I lost my voice.

And then I heard it. My angel.

"Bella!!!" His distressed voice was clear as he got nearer. I felt a heavy weight lift off of me as Edward lifted the man up off of me and threw him. And then I heard another voice, this one deeper and more husky.

He yelled some horrid words and as I opened my eyes, I saw Emmett grab the man that had been harassing me and drag him into the small forest that was near the bathrooms.

"Bella, oh Bella. Are you alright? Please, look at me… Oh Bella." I opened my eyes, to see Edward's green ones looking back me.

"Bella!" I heard small footsteps charge toward me, before Alice squatted down next to Edward. "Jasper, get my father!" She ordered. I could see Jasper in the distance hurry off. I groaned as my head spun.

"Bella, stay with me. Oh, this is my fault! I should have come sooner." I immediately reached out and touched his face, he seemed surprised.

"Don't, Edward. Don't even…" I was interrupted by a loud, deep scream come from the forest. It was the pure sound of pain. I started breathing heavily and gasping for air.

It sounded like someone was being tortured! I hope Emmett is okay… If anyone gets hurt because of me…

Edward placed both of his hands on the sides of my face. "Bella, calm down. It's okay." He comforted, trying to mask the concern in his voice. He looked angrily at Alice. "Where is Jasper?!?"

"Emmett!" I screeched out, trying to sit up. Edward glanced back to my face and his face visibly relaxed as he realized what I was so worried about.

"Bella, Emmett is fine. I promise you." He smiled as I slowly started to drift. I felt him then scoop me up, bridal style. We walked a little ways before I heard Dr. Cullen, talking softly to the others. I strained to listen, but the gentle rocking of Edward's body put me sound to sleep.

* * *

I woke up on a familiar bed. It was the bed from the guest room I had stayed in before at the Cullen's house. My body ached as I sat up slowly. I heard a snort next to me and saw Edward, asleep in a chair. I took the time to soak in his appearance. His messy bronze hair fell slightly on his forehead and he was no longer wearing his attire from the festival. He was now wearing crinkled, black pants and a simple white shirt. And yet, he still looked absolutely gorgeous. I looked down at myself, to find myself in a white dress. I flushed when I thought who had changed me. Hopefully, Alice had come to the rescue for that part. I tried to slip out of bed undetected, but Edward caught the large groan from the mattress and shot up from his position. He cleared his throat, before he stood up and smiled.

"It's great to see you awake, Bella."

"How long was I out?" I mumbled, trying to discretely clear my voice.

"About ten hours. My father checked your wounds and…"

"Wounds?" I asked alarmed, as I hurried over to the mirror. My wrist was a bit bruised and I had a cut spread across my cheek bone.

"Unfortunately, yes. Well, he said that your cut shouldn't scar and heal up in about a week. And your wrist might ache if you put any pressure on it, but that should also heal up soon as well. So all in all you are in pretty good shape, all things considering." I turned around only to see him a lot closer to me than I had expected. His face held so much remorse."Oh Bella, I'm so sorry. I was talking to Rosalie and she said she just came from the bathroom and that no one was in there. And _that's_ when I realized something was wrong. I told her to go get Emmett and then I ran. When I saw him hit you…" His eyes grew dark, so I reached out and put my hand on his cheek.

"Edward, you _saved_ my life. And I owe you so much for that." He just stared at me for a minute before pulling me into a hug. I was surprised by the closeness and my cheeks burned as he held me tightly. I inhaled his lovely scent as Edward pressed his face into my hair.

"Bella, I thought I had lost you…" I heard the door open, before Alice hopped in.

"She's awake, everyone!" I tried to get out of Edward's hold but he would hardly let me budge an inch. Alice tackled me from behind. She sniffed deeply then smiled.

"Don't you just love the shampoo I used on you, Bella? It's strawberries! And the white dress looks so cute on you!" I blushed, but mentally thanked her a thousand times in my head. She pulled me away from Edward, sending him a look. "I want to spend some time with her, too!" She whined and it almost looked as if she were pouting.

"Alice, I don't think she wants to play dress up with you." He glared.

"I wasn't going to! I was just going to make her some late breakfast." This time I shot her a look.

"You? Cook?" I smirked at her as she hesitated.

"Well, I…I'll have someone else _make_ you some late breakfast." And with that she started to pull me out of the room. I looked back at Edward's sad face, so I mouthed 'later' to him. He visibly brightened up as Alice pulled me around the corner and down the stairs.

* * *

Alice tried to basically suffocate with me food. But after a lot of convincing, I finally got away. I walked slowly upstairs and peeked in Edward's room. Empty. I looked in my guest room, empty. I almost decided on heading out to the garden to look for him when I heard the most beautiful music coming from the end of the hall. I carefully walked down the hall and opened the door, wincing when it creaked a bit. I stuck my head inside and saw Edward playing the piano effortlessly. I watched him finish his beautiful melody, when he stopped and sat there. He then took the pen he had behind his ear and started scribbling on a piece of paper. I tip toed over to where he was, not wanting to disturb the peace that had settled over the room.

"Hey." I rested my hand on his shoulder and he jumped a foot in the air.

"Bella!" He jumped up and scrambled to get all of his music together. "You…uh….scared me." His face flushed as I eyed him suspiciously.

"Edward, that was marvelous! I have never heard such talent… I know you told me you could play, but I wasn't expecting that! That took my breath away!" I exclaimed, dramatically.

"Why, thank you." His crooked smile danced across his face. He looked down at the papers in his hand briefly before he sat back down on the bench, placing the papers back in place. He patted the seat next to him, a strange emotion running across his face. I sat timidly down next to him.

"What were you hiding before?" He reached back and scratched his messy, auburn locks.

"You saw that, huh?" He chuckled and rustled through his piano pieces, pulling out three complex sheets. "This is a piece I wrote for you." He showed me the papers and my eyes grew wide. For me?

"You wrote a piece…"

"For you, yes." My mouth was hanging open. No one had ever given me such a gift like this.

"But why?" I mumbled. He had taken his other papers off the stand and put them on the floor next to the glossy, black grand piano. He settled 'my piece' on the stand and got his fingers on what I assumed was the first notes.

"Why? Because you're something special, Isabella." I scrunched my nose at my full name and he laughed. He then turned toward the piece, corrected his posture, and played. His fingers drifted across the keys and the tune he had been playing before filled the air.

As the song came to an end, my eyes were watery. "Oh, Edward." I whispered, staring at the piece on the piano stand. He put his hand carefully on my face and turned my head so I was looking at him. His thumb rubbed soothing circles on my cheek and I leaned my face into his palm. He stared deep into my eyes, as I held my breath.

"Bella…" He murmured softly, leaning a bit forward. I slightly closed my eyes and then…

We were interrupted.

* * *

**Dundundun!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

I couldn't help but groan, as I reluctantly turned my head away from Edward. There, in all her beautiful glory, stood Rosalie. She looked as bored as ever, as she flipped her blonde curls over her shoulder.

"Edward, your father wants to speak with you and Bella. He's waiting for you in the study." And with that said, she sauntered off. Obviously, we weren't worthy enough for anymore of her time.

I couldn't think of a good reason for why Dr. Cullen wanted to speak with us? Did I do something wrong? Was I in trouble for causing so much havoc in the short time they've known me? I glanced at Edward, panic clear in my eyes. His form was relaxed and his eyes held humor as he watched me overreact.

"I'm sure it's nothing. He loves to call these kind of meetings. You get used to it after a while, I guess." He stood up gracefully and offered his hand. "Let's not keep him waiting, shall we?" I accepted it willingly and followed his lead, down the staircase. We walked toward the back of the house until we reached a closed door. Edward knocked politely.

"Come in." His voice sounded far away.

I followed Edward into the large study. Book shelves covered almost every single wall. A large grandfather clock stood majestically by his desk, ticking softly, presenting a cozy atmosphere. Dr. Cullen put down the book he had been reading and motioned for us to sit in two identical chairs. Edward made himself comfortable in his chair while I sat timidly in mine.

"How are you two doing today?" He made small conversation, though I didn't fail to notice the strain in his voice. Edward noticed it too, for his posture immediately became stiff.

"I'm alright."

"I've been better." I responded, truthfully. They both looked at me, a bit surprised I was so blunt, but they quickly composed themselves.

"I can understand that." Dr. Cullen half-smiled. Something was seriously bothering him. I looked down at his paper covered desk and noticed a large, manila folder with the hospital symbol in the corner of it. The big, red letters, Private, dressed the front of it. He observed me looking at it; a strange emotion clouded his eyes.

"What is this about? What's wrong?" Edward's voice was filled with concern.

He slowly opened the hospital folder and pulled out about three or four, neat looking pieces of paper and one ripped, wrinkled sheet torn from a notebook. "Bella, we got a call from the hospital this morning." He paused, trying to collect his thoughts. "And, we had quite a serious case today. What happened was, around eleven in the morning, two people were murdered. Two people you know well, in fact. Rebecca and Jessica Stanley." I gasped, loudly.

"What?!" I shrieked. Dr. Cullen winced at the noise and looked nervously down at his papers before handing me a few of them.

"Their death wasn't pretty, Bella." I looked down at the papers in my hand. Edward had come up behind me resting his hands on my shoulders tightly, comforting me. I leaned my head back so it was resting on his stomach as I read the papers.

The first page I looked was a copy of the police investigation.

_Police Report_

_Rebecca Lucy Stanley and Jessica Rebecca Stanley, while returning home after a visit to their friend's house, on April 21, 1918, at approximately 11:30 a.m., were both stabbed brutally to death in the chest and the stomach. Jessica Rebecca Stanley also received a stab to the back. One of the Stanley neighbors, Hilary Janet Benold, heard noise coming from the house and called the police. Police arrived at 12:10 p.m. on the scene. The Stanley females were rushed into an emergency room and both were pronounced dead by Dr. Carlisle Cullen, at 12:45 p.m. John Charles Stanley, sent off to serve in war, was killed recently from multiple gunshot wounds. No suspects have been detected for this case. Police are searching further for finger prints. Isabella Marie Swan, living with the Stanley's after parent death, has been cleared as a suspect since further witnesses have responded to seeing her at the approximate time the murder occurred._

Tears rolled down my cheek and I let out a large sob. Edward pulled me out of the chair and gathered me in his arms where I cried for a good thirty minutes. They both silently watched me, letting me get my emotions out.

Even though they were cruel to me and even though they hit me, I had never wanted them to die. They at least had the decency to take me in after my father died. They had provided me with food and shelter, and though they never comforted me or talked to me like a real family would, they still had a small place in my life. And now they were gone, just like that. The file had said they were _brutally murdered_. I choked back another sob as I imagined how they would look, broken on the floor, side by side in each other's blood.

"Bella, that's not all…" Dr. Cullen's voice was barely above a whisper. Edward shot him a look.

"What more could there _be_, father?" Carlisle looked a little a taken back by his son's behavior. I wiped my eyes and sniffed loudly, trying to suck it up.

"Edward Anthony, this involves you as well, so please let me finish." Edward looked shamefully down at his feet, still holding me tightly. I hated to, but I struggled out of his grasp so I could pay attention to what Dr. Cullen had to say.

"During the investigation, they found a note." He picked up the crumpled, stained with blood, piece of paper. He handed it over to us, hesitantly. "I had permission to give this to you. It has already been traced for finger prints, but whoever the culprit was, was good. He or she was very careful with leaving evidence behind."

I opened the note, making sure I didn't rip it. There, in a rough, scribble was a note that made the back of my hairs stand on end.

_I am watching you, Isabella._

_And I will get you._

_So you and your new beau better watch your back._

_Because I will be around._

_And I will strike, soon._

_Farewell._

My hands started shaking and my breath came in ragged gasps. I felt Edward stiffen beside me. "Can't you do anything?!" I begged Carlisle, clinging to the edge of his desk. Edward wrapped a protective arm around my waist.

"Bella, please don't worry. I won't let anything hurt you." My eyes widened and I turned to face him.

"Hurt me?! What about you and your family? I would rather be tortured than to have anything happen to you or your family!" I stated, clearly annoyed.

Edward closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Can't you do _anything_ to find out who is behind this? Can't you have someone scan this or do…whatever it is they do?"

"Edward, the murder or murders spilled water all over the paper, covering any trace we could've gotten. The police had to wait for it to dry and they were beyond lucky when none of the words smeared or when the paper didn't tear. The police are doing the best they can…"

"Well, they apparently aren't good enough if they have no idea who could be doing this!" I was getting hysterical, but I couldn't help it. I started sobbing all over again. Edward mumbled something to his dad and led me out the study. My world was falling apart piece by piece. First I was assaulted in the woods, then later I find out the two people that had sheltered me, even if I didn't like them, died, and to finish up the list, a threatening note was left telling me Edward and I were going to be killed soon!

I tripped up the stairs multiple times, unable to see through my tears. Edward, getting frustrated with me, sighed and picked me up bridal style. He carried me all the way to the guest room and laid me on the bed. He studied me carefully, before turning to leave.

"Don't go!" I pleaded, weakly. He smiled slightly, but it didn't reach his eyes.

He inclined his head toward mine, so his face was just inches away. His thumb rubbed soothing circles on the back on my hand and I could feel his sweet breath on my face.

"Bella, I will never leave you." His voice was full of promise.

"Thank you." I mumbled, exhaustion taking over me. "Thank you…"

* * *

**A/N: Ta-da! Here's a little contest for my fabulous reviewers out there.**

_**Message me**_** who you think the murder(s) are. The first ****two**** people who message me the right answer will appear in this story! It will only be a small part, but it will still be a part. **

**Hint: Don't forget to include the man that Emmett killed in the forest after he assaulted, Bella. ( Yes, Emmett did kill him. Yay, Emmett! lol. )**

**Thanks, good luck and please review!**


	6. AN Contest Winners and more

**Author's Note: **Wow! 24 reviews for the last chapter! Thank you guys so much! You have no idea how much I appreciate it.

**For the contest:**

Many of you guessed right, but I had to stay on my word and pick the first two people who sent me the right answer.

The winners are…

**Danielle - d4ni3ll3**

**Anne - corneyjokeluver**

**And because Debby - Dazzled Dragonfly guessed the culprits **_**and**_** who Emmett killed perfectly, she gets a very small place in my story as well.**

I also want to thank all of you who guessed and got it right, but didn't make it.

**Whenindoubtread**

**Graceful Little Alice**

**Edwardgirl11 ( Even though she practically guessed every character out there, haha. Just kidding. )**

**Vamp with wings**

Thanks again guys! I'll probably do another contest like this later in the story. But then again, I might not. We shall see…

**IMPORTANT!!!!!**

There was A LOT of confusion about when Edward said, why don't they just 'scan' it in the last chapter. In the early 1900s, the FBI was a very new and private organization. Edward had no clue what on earth they do to gather evidence aside from gathering fingerprints. He was just taking a wild guess.

And yes, telephones were invented by the 1900s. In fact, they were invented near the late 1800s.

If there is anymore confusion, send me a private message/review and I'll get back to you.

Sorry for the long author's note. I promise to have Chapter 6 up soon! And sorry if I disappointed all of you with this author note. I know most of you were hoping for a chapter, but I needed to clear these little details up first.

Thanks for reading this super long authors note!

Goodbye!

Adiós!

Au revoir!

and

Auf Wiedersehen!


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Bella, wake up!" Alice's voice chimed. I groaned and buried my face in the pillow.

"Two more minutes…" I mumbled, but Alice wasn't having that.

"No! You have been sleeping long enough!" She opened the blinds and the light shone brilliantly through. I slowly sat up, squinting against the sun's glare. Alice was smiling widely as she walked to the closet door. I looked around the room, only to find Edward absent.

"Where's…"

"He's downstairs helping with breakfast. I can't believe he slept in that chair by your bed all night! I would get a terrible back ache...but you know how Edward can never break a promise…" She winked at me and opened the closet door.

I flushed and rolled out of bed. The mirror reflected my messy hair and wrinkled clothes perfectly. Maybe it was a good thing Edward wasn't in the room right now…

Alice stepped aside from the doorway, giving me full view of the inside. It was filled with garments and hats and even some of my own clothing. "Father told us that you were going to be living with us for a while due to some…problems, so I decided to buy you all new clothes! I put some of your own garbs in there, just in case you didn't like anything I picked out." She smirked, as she put some of the beautiful outfits up to my body. I swear I heard her mumble, "Like that'll happen." I couldn't help but smile. At least _someone_ was still acting normal.

"Bella! Alice! Breakfast is ready!" I heard Edward's voice ring up the stairs.

"Coming!" Alice's voice equally rang back. "Here, put this on." She shoved a dress in my arms and pushed me into the bathroom.

"Alice…" She closed the door in my face.

"Don't take too long! I'll be downstairs." I heard her footsteps disappear.

I took a quick shower and put on the dress Alice had given me which, unsurprisingly, fit amazingly. The fabric was smooth and loose. Easy to walk around in without feeling like a pencil.

When I came out of the bathroom, I noticed how stuffy my room had become. I pulled the window up halfway and allowed a refreshing breeze to flow through my room.

"Bella, come on already!" I heard the impatience in Alice's voice downstairs.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." I yelled back, running out of the room and making my way downstairs.

* * *

When I walked into the dining room, I didn't except to see Esme and Emmett sitting at the table along with Alice and Edward.

"Good morning, dear." Esme smiled and I could immediately see the resemblance between Edward and his mother. I took the empty seat between Alice and Esme, sitting across from Edward.

"Good morning." I looked at the eggs, bacon, hash brown, and other breakfast food that littered the plate in front of me. Everyone politely waited for me to start eating, aside from Emmett, before they dug in.

Emmett was chewing his food down loudly, when Esme shot him a glare.

"What?" His voice was muffled from all the food he had shoved in his mouth. "I'm just here for another serving…I don't actually have to make _conversation_, do I?" He shot a playful smile in my direction and I couldn't help but laugh.

Esme told me a lot about herself and she told me a ton of embarrassing moments in the family, causing all three Cullen kids to squirm in their seat.

"One time, when Edward was around six years old…"

Edward quickly cut her off.

"Let's talk about something else, shall we?" Edward nervously chuckled. I raised my eyebrows at him.

"Actually, Edward, I want to hear this. Go on, Esme." I smiled sweetly at her.

"Anyway, you see. Edward had just learned how to…" Esme began again.

"Ow! Edward, what did you kick me for?" Alice hissed before she caught his drift. "Oh! Fine, but you owe me." She whispered, just barely loud enough for me to hear.

"And he had this habit of going into…"

"Mother, I would love to sit here and listen to more of your stories, but Edward and I were going to show Bella around town and we should get going if we want to have time to actually _shop._" Alice came to Edward's rescue.

She scooted out of her chair loudly and looked at me expectantly. I stood up slowly. "Thanks for the breakfast. I enjoyed talking with you, Esme."

Esme stood up next to me and gave me a hug. "Of course, Bella. Oh, and Alice…I don't want you going into town with Bella. At least not today."

Alice started to whine. "But mom…I want to take her to my favorite shop!"

"Alice, there are certain reason I cannot discuss with you right now, but I don't want Bella leaving the house at the moment, understand?"

It looked like Alice wanted to argue, but I really didn't want to leave either. It wasn't the shopping that bothered me this time; it was the chance that I could get murdered.

"Maybe another time, Alice." I tried to throw Alice a comforting smile, but she just sulked as she headed over to the staircase.

"Another time." I heard her mumble as she stomped up the steps. She was like a little girl not getting the piece of candy she wanted.

"Well, I'll see you later, Esme…Emmett." I giggled as Emmett worked on his third helping.

Edward and I walked up the stairs, side by side. I ran my tongue along my front teeth and grimaced.

"Bella?"

"Sorry, I just have something in my teeth."

He laughed as I stopped at my room's door. "I added something to your song, Bella. I would really like to play it for you. So after you brush your teeth," I blushed. "Come on down to the music room and I'll play it for you." He winked before walking off, down the hall. I hurried into my room before he could turn around and see my beet red face. I took a deep breath before I walked into the bathroom.

I hurriedly picked up my pale pink tooth brush and covered it with tooth paste. I glanced up at the mirror and dropped my toothbrush in the sink. My hands flew up to my mouth and I backed up against the wall, my eyes wide with horror. I whimpered against my hands, sounding like a strangled animal. My breath came in ragged gasps and my eyes started to water.

Across the mirror, in the blood red lip stick Alice had given me, was a message that stopped my heart.

**Watch your back, Isabella.**

**Because I sure am.**

The door swung open and I jumped away in surprise. I hadn't realized I had started to shake. One of the maids, Danielle, appeared and seemed a bit shocked by my appearance.

"Excuse me, madam…" She eyed the mirror and gasped as well. "Oh, dear Lord!" She whispered, her eyes growing wide as well. She dropped the towels she had been holding, except for one, ran to the sink and started to wet the towel.

"Wait! What are you doing? We have to show Carlisle or the police this!" She ignored me and quickly wiped the mirror away, casting a nervous glance at me every so often as if I was going to attack her. She put soap on the towel and seemed to use all her strength to make it disappear. She took another towel, this one dry, and started to wipe the mirror off.

"You are not to tell anyone about this. This is to remain between you and me. Alright?" After she dried the mirror, she turned to face me. My hands were still covering my mouth, so I could only nod.

Danielle visibly sighed. "Good." She walked out of the bathroom after setting the remaining towels on the countertop next to the sink. I followed her out, my eyes staring at the space the red words had once appeared. As we walked back into the bedroom, she looked around carefully. I kept a good five feet away from her, analyzing her every move. "Ah." She walked over to my wide open window and stuck her head out. She scanned the surroundings outside. The cold breeze the window was letting immediately felt like a highly unwanted chill in the house. How could I have been so stupid to leave a window open with a killer out there?! They could be hiding in the house right now! They could burn the entire house down killing everyone in it! Or they could wait until we are all asleep…

"There." Danielle locked the window, double checked it, and walked away confidently. She noticed my terrified state and showed a comforting smile. "Don't worry, Isabella. Anne and I will search the entire house for any intruder that may be lurking. But I highly doubt they'll be in here."

She walked out into the hall and into Jasper and Alice's room. She motioned me to wait in the hall and to stay silent. Taking orders from a maid or a servant is absurd, but right now, I was far too scared to object or argue.

About a minute later, Danielle came out with Anne, another maid, on her heels. "Anne is going to search any unoccupied place on the top floor and I'll search the bottom. But please, madam, don't utter a word to the others in the house. They do not need the stress when we can resolve this ourselves."

"Ourselves?! Are you serious? I get a message on _my mirror_, saying that someone is watching me and you are saying we should solve this ourselves?! This is something the police need to know! Someone wants to _kill_ me!"

"Please, calm down." Anne's soft voice was worried as she glanced between me and Danielle.

"Don't tell me to calm down! You are a servant to this house and you have no authority to speak to me in that tone!" I was getting close to hysterics. Every little creak the house was making made me paranoid.

Anne looked taken back, but she quickly recovered. She wasn't that much older than me and she looked as if she had dealt with worse situations than this before. "Ms. Swan, please. We _can _handle this ourselves. We do not need to upset the master of the house. Just let us deal with this." Anne's voice was calm, yet demanding. Her eyes held anxiety.

I cleared my throat and looked between the two of them. "Fi…ne." I choked out.

"Thank you." Danielle's smile was warm. They both started to walk down the hall when she turned around once more. "Don't forget, Edward is waiting for you in the music room. You might want to wash your face and finish brushing your teeth." She smiled and walked off, as if nothing had happened.

* * *

**A/N: So sorry it took so long to update! I had finals and a project and homework to make up. Gross. Lol.**

**So d4ni3ll3 and corneyjokeluver appeared in this story. Dazzled Dragonfly will appear sometime later, don't worry. I didn't forget about you.**

**So I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It was kinda rushed, so I apologize about that. I'm also sorry the length of this story. It's not as long as the others.**

**Please, review! No flames please.**


	8. Chapter 7

**Thanks for all the reviews! I'm going to apologize from the beginning about the length of this chapter. It's probably the shortest of them all but this chapter is basically just here to make things clearer with the whole maid thing.**

**On with the show…**

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**Chapter 7**

I tried to mask my emotions for the rest of the day. The entire family could tell something was wrong, but they left me to my thoughts. Whenever I passed Danielle or Anne in the hall, they would send me a wink or a smile. It made me feel dirty and deceiving, as if I was keeping a secret from the world.

In bed, I tossed and turned, flinching at every noise I heard. I had made sure the window was locked about ten times before I finally turned off the light. "I can't do this." I sighed, my eyes filling up with tears. I flung myself out of bed and jogged out the door, downstairs and into the maids quarters.

"I demand an explanation!" I made my entrance loudly, startling all the sleeping servants.

"What's going on?" The household chef murmured.

"I said, I want an explanation or I'm going to march right up to Carlisle Cullen and tell him what has happened!" Before I knew what was happening, Anne dragged me into the kitchen and sat me down, away from listening ears.

"Isabella, let me explain." Anne started, her eyes wide with fear.

"I'm giving you five minutes! I cannot sleep at night because of all this! You must not realize that someone wants me dead!" I stared impatiently at her. "Unless you are the one behind this…"

"No, no! Listen…" She sat down in the chair across from me. Her hair was tangled and she had large bags under her dark eyes. "You see, if you reported what you saw to Mr. Cullen, or anyone else for that matter, the police would be informed."

"And?" Anne flinched at my harsh tone.

"If the police find out, they will search the house, deporting all the servants in the process. We will all be out of a job and most of us will have no way to pay our family or children. I need this job, Ms. Swan, for I have to send money to my sister and my child to support them. You see, my sister was born with no legs and…"

I could feel tears pouring down my face. "You're saying, the reason I cannot tell anyone, is because you will be out of a job!?" I stood up, knocking my chair back, creating a long bang. My voice started to rise.

"My family…"

"Oh! So you would much rather have Edward and I and perhaps the entire Cullen family dead because you will be out of work for a week or so…"

"What's going on here?" Carlisle's deep voice boomed, roughly. Anne stiffened up. I turned around and my entire cheeks burned when I noticed the entire family was awake.

"Nothing, nothing. Isabella was just having a rough night sleeping and wanted someone to talk to." Anne tried to cover up her tracks.

"You know what? No! I can't stand this anymore!" I picked up the fallen chair and sank into it, sobbing in my hands. I instantly felt comforting arms around me.

"Bella, it's okay…" Alice's meek voice whispered in my ear.

"No, it's not! You know why? Because something terrible has happened!" And then I told them in great detail. They all soaked in what I had to say, shock dominating most of their features.

"Anne, you and the rest of the maids are to pack your things. I will send some money with you along your way, but I want you out of my household, now." Esme's eyes were watering, like mine. "I said now!" Carlisle wrapped his arms around her and whispered something in her ear. Anne scurried off back to the rooms, waking up the rest of the maids.

No one said anything as one by one, Carlisle gave each servant enough money to last them two weeks or so and sent them on their way.

* * *

"The police are talking to Danielle and Anne outside right now. They'll be in here to talk to you and to investigate your room." Carlisle told me, after we heard the last carriage leave.

"Bella dear, I'm so sorry. If something like this happens again, you must tell us, understand?" Esme's words sent fresh tears down my cheeks. As soon as her arms left my body, another pair replaced them. I leaned into Edward's chest and he rubbed his hand up and down my arm.

"I won't let anything happen to you, alright?" I nodded and sniffed loudly.

"Isabella Marie Swan?" A petite lady walked into the room, papers in her hand. Her smile was warm and friendly, despite the early hours of the day. "My name is Debby with the Chicago Police Department. I need to ask you some questions." I followed her into the living room, hating the fact that I had to leave Edward's embrace. I sat on the couch, trying to dry my face on my sleeve.

I told her the same story I told the Cullens, answering all the probing questions she threw at me. I even showed her the exact spot the words on my mirror had been written.

She finally left, two hours later. The sun was breaking through the sky, and everyone had gone back to bed except for Carlisle, Esme and Edward.

"How was it?" He asked me, a crooked smile on his face. I couldn't help but return his smile.

"Horrible. I'm so tired I could fall asleep standing." He chuckled and led me upstairs, his hand tightly grasping mine. I released his hand and kept walking to my room, only to be surprised to find him pull me back.

"Where do you think you are going?"

"What do you mean? I'm going to my room..." He opened his bedroom door and pulled me inside.

"No, you are not. You're sleeping in here. I don't want you in your room alone." Without the energy to argue, I tiredly crawled onto his bed, watching him get a blanket out of his closet.

"I feel bad that you're having to sleep on chairs so much." I yawned.

"I don't mind." I barely heard his words as I fell into a deep slumber.

* * *

I woke up about three hours after I had fallen asleep, to find Edward still snoozing in the chair. I debated about waking him up, but against my better judgment, I let him be and went down to find myself some food alone.

The day was cloudy, and it looked as if it were going to rain. I walked barefoot into the kitchen and found a note on the table.

_Dear Edward and Bella,_

_We were going to wake you up, but we wanted to let you sleep. The girls and I are shopping for clothes and the boys went to the hospital with Carlisle this morning so they could learn more about the medical business. I hate to leave you like this, but we'll be back soon. If you need anything, the boys are right down the street at the hospital._

_-Esme_

I placed her note back down on the table. Knowing that Edward and I were the only ones in the house on this dreary day felt a bit awkward. The house creaked and I whipped my head in the direction it came from. The wind outside had picked up, telling me that it was just the house groaning under the pressure.

I felt the need to be silent as I walked toward the refrigerator. I grabbed the milk carton, when a hand grabbed me from behind.

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**A/N: Dundundun!**

**That's all I have to say.**


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N: Sorry for all the historically incorrect information. But just, live with it…okay? I'm trying my best.**

**Thanks for all the reviews and alerts I got. Bowzers!**

**I love you guys!**

**Now, on with the show…**

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**Chapter 8**

The milk carton slipped from my hand and spilled all over the floor. I whipped around and grabbed the hand that had been resting on my shoulder.

"Hey, hey…it's just me." Edward nervously chuckled.

"Don't do that! You scared me…" I released his hand and glanced down at the mess I had made on the floor. My heart sounded as if it were about to explode out of my chest.

"I didn't mean to. I didn't think that you were going to get so startled…I apologize. " He ran his hand through his hair.

"Its fine, Edward. Just…where do you keep the rags?" The milk seeped between my toes. Edward laughed.

"Don't worry, I'll get them." He left the room as I bent down to pick up the empty carton. I lifted up the rug away from the mess and made sure I hadn't ruined anything.

Ten minutes passed and Edward still hadn't returned.

"Where is he?" I mumbled to myself. How hard was it to find a rag or a towel? I heard the front door slam and my cheeks started to heat up. The family was home.

Please, oh please, don't let them walk in here. That'd be so embarrassing!

I listened for footsteps or the loud voices that they all usually emitted. It was silent.

I walked out of the kitchen, almost falling because of my wet feet. "Hello?" I headed over to the front door, it was unlocked. It had been locked when I came downstairs, so I wasn't just imagining things. I locked the door, not wanting to make the same mistake I had when I left the window open.

"Edward? Alice?" I headed over to the bottom of the stairwell. No answer.

Panic swelled in me, as I ran up the stairs. "Edward?" My voice was strained. I checked his room, empty. My guest room, empty. I made my way down to the music room. The door creaked when I opened it. This room was not empty. Sitting on the floor with his hands in his face, was Edward.

"Edward!" I hurried over to him and knelt down beside him. "Edward, what's wrong? What's going on?"

He slowly lifted his head up, and I couldn't help but gasp. There was a huge gash running from his forehead to his cheek. "Bella…" His voice croaked, "I'm so sorry. I promised that I wouldn't let anything happen to you." His words were slurred together. He grabbed my hand and held it to his face. The blood on his face stained my hand. He looked past me and his eyes grew full of hatred.

"Edward? Please, tell me what's going on…" My eyes started to water. What was going on?!?

He abruptly stood up and pulled me with him.

"Oh, Edward…Please, tell me!" A nasally voice came from behind me. I spun around to see a tall man, with shiny black hair, standing not even ten feet from us. His dark eyes pierced through me and a wicked grin danced across his face. He continued to mock me as he walked forward. "Save me, Edward! Save me from this evil man!" Edward shoved me behind him and I could swear I heard a growl rumble inside his chest.

"Bella," His voice was so low, I could barely hear. "When I say run, you run. No arguing. Understand?"

"Yes." My voice cracked. Was this the man who had sent those nasty messages? Was he going to kill us instantly or was he going to torture us first?

"Good." His voice was loud and clear before he lunged at the man. He pinned the man down, kneeing him in the groin. The man flinched but looked hardly fazed.

"Run, Bella!" Without hesitation I bolted out the door. I was about to exit the room when I heard Edward cry out in pain.

I turned around, wide-eyed to see the man and Edward now wrestling for a weapon that the man had pulled out of his jacket. "Edward!"

Edward looked up at me angrily. "I said go!"

The man laughed menacingly. "And when you find someone that is willing to help you, your little lover boy here will already be dead!"

"Bella, go!" Edward's voice roared. The dark-haired man kicked Edward in the stomach before I turned the corner and ran. Scampering down the stairs, I started sobbing uncontrollably.

I jogged to the door, only to be blocked by a red-headed. She had her arms crossed and her posture was relaxed. I instantly hated her.

"Going somewhere, sweet heart?" She grabbed my arms and threw me against the wall, knocking the wind out of me. "Well, let me tell you something. Laurent and I didn't just come here to avenge James's death. Oh no, we came here to make you watch _your_ lover boy suffer! To let you know how it feels!" Her voice rose and her hot breath hit my face. Unthinkingly, I did the only thing I could think off.

I threw my head back, then forward. Colliding my head with hers. She fell backwards, and lay still, knocked out. I sank to the ground, dizzy. My head throbbed and I could smell the rust from the blood on my scalp. I touched my head lightly, feeling the sticky substance that lingered there. I grabbed the doorknob tightly, my legs shaking. Then I heard a yell come from upstairs. I couldn't tell if it was Edward or the man the lady had called 'Laurent'.

I heard quick footsteps come down the stairs. I held my breath as I hopefully waited for Edward's face to appear.

"Victoria, you're not going to kill her yet are you? Victoria?" The man, Laurent, stopped in his tracks as he saw Victoria lying across the ground. He slowly raised his head to stare me in the eye. "You little…"

Adrenaline pumped through me as I bolted. I couldn't leave the house without Edward!

Laurent was on my heels as I tried to escape. Weaponless, I ran into the kitchen, knocking over a chair as I passed by it. Laurent saw it too late and tripped over it, landing on the floor with a thud. He grunted, as I started opening the drawers. Pot holders, silverware, towels and rags, then the steak knives. I heard Laurent getting up so I quickly snatched the biggest one I could find. I whirled around, to see Laurent a lot closer than I expected. He grabbed hold of my forearm and slammed my wrist on the counter, causing me to release the steak knife. It clattered to the ground, narrowly missing my barefoot. He flung me aside and reached for the knife. I backed up, and frantically looked around the room. I tried to control my breathing and my tears. Then I saw it.

On the edge of the counter on a stack of envelopes, was a letter opener. I grabbed it and aimlessly flung it as hard as I could. Laurent screamed out in pain as it impaled his leg. He grunted, before he tore it out of his leg and flung it aside. The blood oozed from his leg, making me dizzy.

He limped quickly over to me, swinging his arm back and forth, trying to slice through me. His breathing was deep and loud as he inched his way toward me. His face was contorted in pain as he put even the smallest pressure on his leg. The blood from my forehead was running down the side of my face, caking itself against my skin. I stumbled down the hall, Laurent trying to keep up. Then by the fireplace in the living room, I saw it. A rack of fireplace pokers.

I grabbed the first one I saw. It was a long and black wrought iron poker with a pointy tip. I snatched it out of the rack, knocking all of them over in the process. Laurent grabbed a hold of my arm and spun me around until I faced him. "Say sweet dreams, doll face." His smile was wicked. Both of my hands tightly gripped the poker, angling it toward his stomach in the small space between us, praying he wouldn't notice.

He swung his hand back and was about to strike me in the chest, when I thrusted the pole up and impaled him right through the stomach. He gasped and his back arched before he fell to the ground. I yanked rod back out of him, causing him to cry out in pain, before he became limp on the floor. I dropped the bloody pole by my feet, gasping for breath. Laurent had grown pale, his eyes blank. A large puddle of blood spread across the floor, colliding with my toes.

"Sweet dreams." I whispered, yet the anger in my voice was evident.

Then I remembered…

"Edward!" My voice was even weaker than it was before and my head started to pound.

I used all my strength to run as fast as I could. But of course, being a klutz, I slipped on the rug and hit my head on the frame of the door. The gash spilt open even further and I bit down on my tongue, hard. Blood started to drip from my mouth.

"You stupid whore!" I felt a swift kick to my ribs. Victoria stood over me, with a matching cut to my own draped across her forehead. Her hair was like a wild mane and her face held no remorse.

She lifted her arms up and that's when I noticed it. The large, black gun positioned in her hands. She cocked it and aimed it at me, her eyes never once leaving my face.

"Burn with Hades." She snarled at me.

The echo of a gunfire trembled throughout the house.

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**A/N: Sorry, I'm not good at fight scenes. But this story is sadly coming to end. I think the next chapter will be the last one.**

**Aw! But I have a good idea for another story I might write.**

**So please review and make me happy! No flames please.**

**And if you have any questions, ask and I'll try my best to answer.**


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N: Here it is…**

**The long awaited finale of my story.**

**I hope you guys like it!**

**In this chapter, you will find out who lives…**

**Who dies…**

**Who becomes the next president of the United States!**

**Okay, maybe not the last one…**

**Anyway,**

**On with the show…**

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**Chapter 9**

I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for an impact. I heard a loud, strangled gasp before a loud thud hit the ground. I opened my eyes slightly to see a bloody Edward, standing above Victoria. He held a gun in his left hand, Laurent's gun I presumed. His right shoulder was bloody, from what looked like a knife wound. He sank to the floor and rested his cool cheek on the wood floor beneath him.

"Edward!" My words were choked. I crawled over the corpse, flinching when I saw the bullet in the back of her head. "Edward…"

"Bella." He flashed his crooked smile for a second, before he moaned in pain. "Bella…Make it go away."

"What? Make what go away?" Even all bloody and torn, he was still beautiful. Tears welled up in my eyes.

"The pain." A tear roll down his cheek as he squeezed his eyes shut.

"Edward, stay awake. Stay with me…" I placed both of my hands lightly on the side of his face. He put his hand over mine and held my gaze. I couldn't help but smile. "Edward, we did it. We won. We beat them." I laughed, shaking my head back and forth. This was all such a nightmare, aside from the throbbing pain telling me it was far from a dream.

He tried to smile again, when I felt his hand tighten on mine. "Bella…" He took a deep breath. "I love you."

My mouth flew open and my eyes grew wide. My heart seemed to burst out of my chest at that moment. "What did you say?"

"I said, I…" The loud banging on the front door caught us both off guard. The door slammed to the ground, making us both wince at the noise.

"Bella? Edward?!" I heard Carlisle's voice first.

"In here…" I spoke, as loud as I could. My head continued to throb.

Their footsteps echoed throughout the living room as they all entered, one by one.

"Oh my…"

"So much blood…"

"What are you standing there for?! We have to help them!"

All the men rushed forward, while the women of the household ran out of the room grabbing blankets and rags. I hope they don't slip on the milk. It would be just my luck that one of them would slip and break a hip…

Jasper carefully scooped me up in his arms as Emmett lifted up Edward.

"You're going to be fine, Bella. You and Edward, both." I couldn't help but close my eyes as the steady movement from Jasper's body put my exhausted body to sleep.

* * *

"She's waking up! Get father…" I heard whispers among the room. Groaning, I opened up my eyes to see Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Esme standing over me.

"Good morning, Bella. Am I okay? Can I leave?" My head rang as I tried to sit up. The room seemed to spin. I closed my eyes tightly for a moment, before opening them once more. Everything seemed more still, now.

"Not yet, dear." I heard Esme chuckle. "Let's have the doctor take a look at you first." She winked as Carlisle walked briskly in the room, a smile on his face.

"Well, look who's up." He put down the chart he was holding on the small table next to the cot I was laying on and checked my head. "Her head will heal nicely, that's for sure. Only a small scar, at the most. Someone here in this hospital is excellent at doing stitches, that's for sure…" The whole family laughed, and I couldn't help but smile. It looked like things might get back to normal.

"How's Edward?" I watched their expressions carefully, but none of their smiles faltered.

"He's doing well. His knife wound wasn't as deep as we originally thought. Just a broad gash. His palm and side needed a little stitching, though. He should be released, perhaps, tomorrow afternoon. You on the other hand, can be released tonight." He picked up the chart again and flipped through some pages.

I leaned my head against the wall behind me, sighing. "So, how are things looking else wise?"

"Well, I'm afraid you are going to have to answer some more questions with the police. The house is being investigated at the moment and we are not allowed in the house, until they say so, in case we touch something and our fingerprints collided with the murderers…" He started to ramble and I stopped listening. The white ceiling and the white walls made me feel like I was in some mental institution. It was making me feel a bit claustrophobic.

"Bella? Bella, are you listening?" Carlisle's voice brought me out of my thoughts.

"I think she hit her head a lot harder than we thought." I heard Rosalie mumble. Alice shot her a warning glance. I grinned at Rosalie's behavior.

"Thank you, Rosalie." She looked at me surprised, while the rest of the family sent me curious glances. "For acting normal around me. I don't want any special treatment from you guys. All I want is for everything to be sane again. Well, as sane as it was before any of this…" That earned a laugh. Even Rosalie cracked a smile. The door opened and Emmett peeked his head in.

"Everyone, Edward just woke up. He's asking about you guys." Emmett looked directly at me when he spoke the last sentence, a large grin dominating his features.

"I want to see him." I stated, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. My legs wobbled as I stood up.

Alice put her arm around me. "I don't think that's a good idea. You need rest." I wrapped my arm around her shoulders as she helped me gain my balance.

"Well, I think it's a great idea. Let's go." Alice tried to keep up with me as I walked as fast as I could out of the room.

"Bella…"

"No, Alice. I want to see him. I need to know he's okay…"

"Bella!"

"I'm going to see him, Alice. And if you don't want to then…" I let go of her shoulder and shrugged her arm off.

She grabbed hold of my arm. "Bella!"

"What?!" I spun around and a playful twinkle glinted in her eyes.

"You're going the wrong way." She tried to stifle a laugh, when I realized that the entire family was standing at the opposite end of the hall, watching us.

"Oh." With as much dignity as I could muster, I walked the opposite direction, until I stood with the rest of the family, excluding Carlisle, in front of a closed door. Everyone was staring at me with an amused expression.

I grunted and gazed at the floor. My cheeks burning up.

"Bella, he's asking about you." My head shot up and my face blushed an even deeper scarlet.

"Aw. Look at her blush, Jasper!" Alice giggled, as I followed Dr. Cullen into the room. Edward was sitting up lazily in bed, watching me.

"I'll wait out here…" I saw Carlisle flash a wink in Edward's direction before he joined everyone in the hall.

"Hello, there." Edward's voice was gentle. He had a bandage across his cheekbone and he had some thick gauze wrapped around his shoulder blade.

"Hello." His smile was contagious. I sat on the edge of his bed, never taking my eyes off his face. He took my hand, careful of the large bruise on my wrist and kissed my knuckles lightly. The blush that had just faded away from my face, seemed to come back at full force. His musical laughter filled the room.

He released my hand and seemed to be deliberating something. The spot he had touched my skin tingled.

"Bella…" His voice was soft, as he leaned forward. I took a short intake of breath as I realized what he was doing. Oh, how I wanted this.

He stopped about an inch from my face and hesitated. He started to pull back, but I wasn't having that.

"Oh no you don't." I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him back to me. His lips met mine softly, before the kiss grew more intense. His lips were warm and inviting, sending a shock throughout my entire body. This felt way better than kiss on the hand, that's for sure!

We both pulled back when we both became short of breath. Edward's crooked smile floated across his face.

"That has been put off far too long." He kissed me lightly on the lips once more. I savored every second of it. My heart seemed to stop.

When he pulled back once again, his eyes sparkled and I couldn't wipe the silly grin off my face.

"Edward?"

"Hmm?" He rested his unbandaged cheek against mine and breathed in deeply.

His glorious scent was making me dizzy. I pulled away slightly, holding his face in both of my hands. Our noses touched and his eyelids started to close.

"I just wanted to say that…" I bit my lip and inhaled deeply.

He waited patiently.

"I love you, too." And then I kissed him again.

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**THE END.**

**Yes, I know. That was a short story. Only nine chapters long…**

**I hope you guys enjoyed my story!**

**And I also hope you don't suffer from too much new chapter withdrawal.**

**Haha, just kidding.**

**Anyway,**

**A HUGE thank you to all my faithful readers and reviewers.**

**You guys are awesome!**


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